A smile for you
by JupiterGodess
Summary: Just some SaiIno fluff and relationship development. n.n Enjoy.


**A smile for you**

„And then it went like baaam, and then it made boom, and then he…"

Naruto's voice dimmed when Ino chose some pieces of meat that were ready and put them on her plate, continuing to eat.

The blonde Jinchuuriki was telling of a mission team 7 had brought to an end successfully. And which was the reason why team 7, team Asuma and team Gai – well, minus Neji, a fact still hard on them all – had gathered around this yakiniku table and were enjoying the japanese style barbeque.

Ino sighed inaudible, chewing on a piece of beef meat. So many things had changed during the course of the Fourth Shinobi World War. Or, no, she reflected and let her eyes wander across the assembled people. The changes had already begun at the time Naruto had returned from his two-and-a-half years training journey with Jiraya. Like Yamato and Sai joining team Kakashi, the latter as replacement for Sasuke. Or Hinata finally admitting her love for Naruto. Or… well, yes, the loss of people too. Jiraya. Asuma-sensei. Neji. Her own father and that of Shikamaru. At times, those losses still pained her heart and made her eyes burn. Especially the one of her father; the war wasn't over long enough for that wound to heal a little.

Still, good things had happened too. Like Sasuke finally returning to the village. Ino glanced at him and Sakura and caught him feeding her a little piece of meat. Yes, in the end he had not chosen the Yamanaka heir, but her pink-haired friend. Admittedly, Ino was a little jealous, having had a crush on Sasuke since earliest academy days. But she was also happy for the two. If someone deserved Sasuke, it was Sakura. She had suffered so much because of him, and still she had held strong to her love and her faith in him. Well, he better not break her heart again, or Ino Yamanaka would forget she had once had a crush on him and make him feel her wrath!

The blonde kunoichi took another bite, still tuning out Naruto's voice, who wasn't yet finished with his story. Another good thing was that the world was now at peace. Shinobis from fall over the world uniting against a common threat had enabled that miracle. Or, well, the miracle was that the five great shinobi villages actually did unite forces in the first place. And now that the war was over, times were as peaceful as they had never been before.

Maybe too peaceful.

Recently, Ino had started to feel lonely and have melancholy thoughts about relationships. How could she not, when all around her, couple after couple started to find together. Naruto and Hinata. Sasuke and Sakura. Shikamaru seemed actually to be getting closer to Temari too, as he was regularly sent to Suna on diplomatic duties. And to everyone's disbelief, a certain Kumogakure kunoichi, stationed in Konoha to help establishing a diplomatic between the villages, had started to show signs of interest in Choji. The two had even started dating a couple of days ago. How incredible was that. In fact, the only reason Karui wasn't with them right now was, that she had some important work to finish.

Ino sighed to herself again. As she took a bite of rice, her eyes wandered to Sai. Out of the blue, memories of the dream she had while trapped in the Infinite Tsukoyomi resurfaced.

Sai and Sasuke fighting over her.

,Well, Sasuke is already taken, but Sai is still free…'

Admittedly, the thing attracting Ino to him at first had been his similarity to Sasuke. But in the time that had passed since their first meeting, she had come to learn that, despite his emotions crippled by his training under Danzo, he was a good person, and a strong shinobi besides. Plus, since he joined team Kakashi, Sai seemed to have started to slowly recuperate his feelings, starting to open up. In fact, he was smiling genuinely more often now. It was kind of a nice development to observe.

Suddenly, Sai looked up and met her gaze.

Then he smiled.

Ino couldn't believe what she was seeing. The black-haired shinobi was smiling at her. But it wasn't a smile like he gave everyone else. It was a smile Ino had never seen on his face. It was full of warmth and affection. A… loveable smile. One that made his face glow a little, as if it was illuminated from inside. The most beautiful smile he had ever smiled.

And the kunoichi blushed very deeply when she realised that this smile was only for her.


End file.
